Q: Can you describe what a typical day as a Data Security Analyst looks like?
A: A lot of the day is dictated by incidents and vulnerabilities. They can range from a 5-minute fix to a solution that takes a week or weeks to work on. I often collaborate with ITS Information Assurance, provide security reviews for software or tools, and act as a liaison for various RFP processes. It’s also really important for me to keep abreast of security news and happenings. This is key to being able to catch and mitigate risks early.
My top three ways to monitor the security community is through social media, email groups, and personal contacts. Twitter is a great tool for learning about breaking news, fixes, and examples. The US Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency has an email list called USCert to help public and private sectors with cybersecurity information. And IT contacts in other institutions are a great resource to learn how they are dealing with incidents and managing solutions.
Q: What has your career path looked like and how did it influence your current position and work?
A: I’ve always worked in IT, even as a student in LSA. One of the biggest influences for my career today is from my time as a Systems Administrator for Planned Parenthood of Michigan. Working in a very small IT department I was able to gain broad experience in a range of areas like networking, security, infrastructure, and support. That position helped me to better understand the context around the security decisions I make and what the broader impact of security mitigations is going to be for others in the organization.
Q: What was a memorable project (or projects) you worked on?
A: Within the last year I deployed a read-only version of Passwordstate into the cloud. This allows users to access information in Passwordstate in the event that there is a network loss on campus. This project has been a continued learning experience. The infrastructure LSA Technology Services has in the public cloud has not yet been widely developed, and there is a lot of additional security complexity, which is unique to each individual cloud provider. A cloud security training course I took last summer was eye-opening and dense. I expect LSA will have a larger cloud presence in the future, and I hope what I’ve learned with this project improves our security for the next service we host there.
Q: Outside of work what would we find you doing?
A: I bought a fixer-upper at the end of 2019, so I’ve been spending a lot of time DIY-ing. My projects have included electrical, plumbing, replacing doors, and refinishing floors. Last weekend I installed a new bathroom fan, the house had never had one in its 81 years! It’s nice to have tangible projects after staring at screens all day.
Q: How did you learn to DIY, were you always comfortable with tools?
A: My Mom has always been handy so I’ve learned a lot from her, but I do excessive amounts of research before I start projects. I read a lot on home improvement sites and watch videos on YouTube and I plan how the project will go before I start. I’ve probably seen every This Old House episode. I try to have all the right tools for the job on hand, because I’ve learned the hard way that trying to make-do with something just mostly correct will only make the job harder. Having a backup plan in case something you DIY goes wrong is also extremely important.
One project I recently tackled was replacing one of my exterior doors. I thought it would only take a couple of hours, but after eight hours of struggling, the door was in but not level, and wasn’t opening correctly. I called a professional to bail me out but they had a lead time of a week before they could come out. I ended up fiddling with it enough over a day or two and finally got it right. I am generally pretty ambitious at what I will attempt to DIY, but I learned that projects like this where there really is no backup available (old door was already ripped out, and I could not stop because I now had a hole in the side of my house) probably should have been handled by a contractor. Renovating my bathroom is my next big project, and since it is the only one in my house, I think I’ll let a plumber handle the major stuff this time.
Q: What is something that people might be surprised to learn about you?
A: My fun fact is that my academic background is actually in Japanese Studies through LSA. I lived in Japan for a while and worked for the US Consulate in Osaka. One of the things I miss the most about Japan is riding the trains. Bullet trains in Japan make it so easy to travel long distances in the country. The local trains are also just as convenient, nice to ride, and are famous for always being on time.
I wish that the trains in the US were similar. I’ve done several cross-country train trips in the US, one was from Seattle to Chicago called the Empire Builder. We got stuck in the middle of North Dakota for six hours. It was a great way to see all the landscapes of the country, from the Pacific Northwest to the Midwest.
